sorting nsmutablearray containing dictionary in alphanumeric way - ios

Question

I have array containing dictionary like below:
(
{
"act_priority" = B1;
}
{
"act_priority" = "";
}
{
"act_priority" = A;
}
{
"act_priority" = A3;
}
{
"act_priority" = B;
}
{
"act_priority" = A2;
}
{
"act_priority" = A1;
}
{
"act_priority" = "";
}
)
I would like to sort in alphabetically and numerically both way:
(
{
"act_priority" = A1;
}
{
"act_priority" = A2;
}
{
"act_priority" = A3;
}
{
"act_priority" = B1;
}
{
"act_priority" = A;
}
{
"act_priority" = B;
}
{
"act_priority" = "";
}
{
"act_priority" = "";
}
)
What i had tried is below:
NSArray* sorted = [activityArray sortedArrayUsingComparator:(NSComparator)^(NSDictionary *item1, NSDictionary *item2) {
NSString *score1 = [item1 objectForKey:#"act_priority"];
NSString *score2 = [item2 objectForKey:#"act_priority"];
return [score1 compare:score2 options:NSNumericSearch];
}];
Also:
NSSortDescriptor *Sorter = [[NSSortDescriptor alloc] initWithKey:#"act_priority" ascending:YES];
[activityArray sortUsingDescriptors:[NSArray arrayWithObject:Sorter]];
but it give me like
(
{
"act_priority" = "";
}
{
"act_priority" = "";
}
{
"act_priority" = A;
}
{
"act_priority" = B;
}
{
"act_priority" = A1;
}
{
"act_priority" = A2;
}
{
"act_priority" = A3;
}
{
"act_priority" = B1;
}
)

Answer 1

Here is what I think you want. I gave also an sample to test.
The main point is what you do inside the block.
NSArray *array = #[#{#"act_priority":#"B1"},
#{#"act_priority":#""},
#{#"act_priority":#"A"},
#{#"act_priority":#"A3"},
#{#"act_priority":#"B"},
#{#"act_priority":#"A2"},
#{#"act_priority":#"A1"},
#{#"act_priority":#""}];
NSArray *sortedArray = [array sortedArrayUsingComparator:^NSComparisonResult(NSDictionary *obj1, NSDictionary *obj2)
{
NSString *string1 = [obj1 objectForKey:#"act_priority"];
NSString *string2 = [obj2 objectForKey:#"act_priority"];
if ([string1 length] == 0) //To put the #"" at the end
return NSOrderedDescending;
else if ([string2 length] == 0) //To put the #"" at the end
return NSOrderedAscending;
else
{
BOOL string1HasSuffixNumber = [self hasSuffixNumber:string1]; //If string1 has a number at the end
BOOL string2HasSuffixNumber = [self hasSuffixNumber:string2]; //If string2 has a number at the end
if (string1HasSuffixNumber && !string2HasSuffixNumber)
return NSOrderedAscending; //Put the string2 at the end
else if (!string1HasSuffixNumber && string2HasSuffixNumber)
return NSOrderedDescending; //Put the string1 at the end
else
return [string1 compare:string2 options:NSCaseInsensitiveSearch]; //Other option can be used, if you want case sensitive one for example, or not, etc.
}
}];
NSLog(#"SortedArray: %#", sortedArray);
With this your "special" method:
-(BOOL)hasSuffixNumber:(NSString *)string
{
if ([string length] < 1)
return FALSE; //"Security added, but in your use case you shouldn't go there;
NSCharacterSet *set = [NSCharacterSet characterSetWithCharactersInString:#"0123456789"]; //Explicit the character set in case you want to add some changes
if ([[string substringFromIndex:[string length]-1] rangeOfCharacterFromSet:set].location != NSNotFound)
return TRUE;
else
return FALSE;
}
Output:
>SortedArray: (
{
"act_priority" = A1;
},
{
"act_priority" = A2;
},
{
"act_priority" = A3;
},
{
"act_priority" = B1;
},
{
"act_priority" = A;
},
{
"act_priority" = B;
},
{
"act_priority" = "";
},
{
"act_priority" = "";
} )